Give me a reason
by Tiltinya
Summary: what if that one time when Laurel was drunk and asked Oliver for a job as his EA, he had actually given it to her. Even if the price was to fire Felicity? Even if he knows he'll regret his decision very soon.
1. no more coffee

AN - what if that one time when Laurel was drunk and asked Oliver for a job as his EA, he had actually given it to her. Even if the price was to fire Felicity?  
*Tommy is still alive and kicking and comming soon to join the rest.

That night Oliver sat armchair at his house, watching the flames dance in fireplace, as he weighted his options of breaking the news to Felicity. He had to help Laurel, she was his friend, more than just friend. He had to fire Felicity. How else he could help Laurel, and after all Felicity have tried to find every reason to get back to her IT job, wouldn't it be win - win situation? That evening Oliver did a lot of thinking, hoping he won't end up regretting his decision latter.  
The next morning when he arrive at the office, he already regretted his idea, he didn't understand, why he had promised Laurel the job. And now his decision was turning into World War 3. He couldn't help but flinch at the demanding voice of Laurel already shouting orders around.  
"And you are fired, didn't Oliver told you that?" she asked pointing at confused looking Felicity.  
"He must have had one of his amnesia attacks" Felicity replied collecting her stuff from the cabinets of her desk.  
"You fired Felicity?!" asked totally confused Dig.  
"ummm…" Oliver rubbed the back of his neck "kind of… morning Ladies…" he said walking over to them both.  
"ouh hey Ollie" greeted him the sweet voice of Laurel and big bright smile all over her face.  
Felicity looked up at him and then just looked away packing her things in a box.  
"Felicity… may I have a word with you… in my office… now?" he asked knowing that he could get very burned with words.  
"you may not" she replied and got up, picking up her bag and her box of stuff "I'll be if the IT department, send me an email if you break the printer again" she said giving him one of those looks, that made him wish he hadn't upset her. Now he understood why she was nicknamed - the bitch with WiFi.  
Oliver let out a frustrated groan, a habit he had only recently discovered. Probably had picked it up from someone. " Fe-li-city" he followed her to the elevator. "I can explain…" he started as they both got in the elevator.  
"ouh, it's okay… I already know... Laurel needs a job, and you helped her, of course it had been nice of you to let me at last know about these changes… like a text message or something, but I have a feeling you were too busy putting your arrow into someone" she rambled, obviously upset, but trying not to let him know, she always did it like that.  
"I'm sorry I didn't alert you sooner, I wanted I just…" but she cut him off, stepping out of the elevator  
"Don't bother Mr. Queen, I understand your decision" she said almost sharply, as she walked to her old office. He wanted to follow her, to make things better, after all he needed her, her brains.  
Instead he ended up heading back to his office, he knew he was about to get a punch or two from Dig. He knew that John Diggle was like big brother to Felicity, and upsetting Felicity usually meant getting in trouble with Diggle.  
"You fired Felicity?" Diggle asked in disbelief as he followed Oliver into his office. "I get it, Laurel needs job, but did you ever think how it would affect your nightly activities?"  
Oliver sighed and sat down at his desk "well I can always send her an e-mail right?" he replied feeling upset too.  
"Bullshit, and I think you forgot one very important aspect… Felicity's old job is already taken"  
"well I had to help a friend!"  
"by taking down another friend?" Diggle asked.  
"hey… she wanted her old job back, and I saw an opportunity…"  
their conversation was cut short by Laurel's announcement "umm I might have never been a secretary before, but I think one deserves a computer, and well your ex-secretary, just carried away the computer, she said it had virus on…"  
"I'll get you a new one" Oliver told her and opened his own laptop, he already regretted his decision to give Laurel the work.

By the lunch time Oliver had managed to get 4 computer errors and a new computer for Laurel.  
Oliver groaned and slammed his computer shut "ughhhh…" he looked at Diggle who was busy doing crosswords." Don't say it… I can already tell it by your look you want to say - I told you so…" Oliver called Laurel "can you please call Felicity Smoak to come here and take a look at my computer? I'm having finance system problems?!"  
Laurel nodded politely and went to call Felicity, even if it was very obvious she disliked the blond IT guru.  
Oliver closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face waiting for Felicity to arrive, he had a bad feeling she would be using this against him, probably arriving five minutes before the end of workday. That totally sounded like revenge Felicity's style.  
" umm Mr. Queen?" asked shy young males voice, peaking inside Oliver's office.  
Oliver Opened his eyes and looked at the young guy confused "yes?"  
"I'm here to take a look at your computer… you asked for Ms. Smoak to come take a look? Umm I thought she worked as your EA?" The young male asked nervously walking inside.  
"yes.. yes.. right… well she just switched back to IT" he said opening his laptop and handing it to the kid.  
"ouh, that means I'll finally have a co-worker?" he asked while working on the computer.  
"isn't Ms. Smoak already there today? In her old office?" Oliver asked confused.  
"nop, hadn't seen her, and the only office there is in IT department is mine, well hers old one" the kid rambled handing him back the laptop "just don't press F5, while using this program then no errors should be popping out anymore"  
Oliver thanked him, and watched him to go, looking over at Diggle "find her"  
Diggle got up and buttoned up his jacket "I'll do my best."


	2. frown QC with love

Meanwhile 50+ floors lower. Felicity Smoak was carrying box with her personal stuff out the QC building, when she, being her natural clumsy self, bumped into someone "Ouh… I'm so sorry" she started to apologize when she noticed who she had run into.  
"Felicity?" asked the familiar voice of Tommy Merlyn. When Tommy had found out about team Arrow, he had been totally disapproving of that they were doing, though while he worked as the Manager of Verdant, he learned to be friends with everyone, even with Felicity.  
"Tommy?" she asked looking at him and then around "How are you? You here to see Oliver?"  
"Yeah, is he up in his office?" Tommy asked small frown crossing his face when he noticed the box in Felicity's arms.  
" I don't know… probably, you should ask his new EA" she said and walked past him to the exit.  
Tommy looked after confused, he knew Oliver wouldn't fire Felicity, not on his own free will, or clear mind.  
"Felicity…" he rushed after her, soon walking by her side to her car "why did Oliver fire you?"  
"Because Laurel needed a job" she said unlocking her car and putting the box with her stuff in it. Tommy Merlyn was not going to be the one, she would end up crying her problems out to.  
"Laurel?" he asked stopping Felicity, trapping her between him and the car "he replaced you with Laurel? Didn't he at last let you get back your old spot... you know the IT god's position?"  
Felicity shook her head "no, that position already belongs to Drew Berryman, and well I checked, the company can't afford another IT specialist"  
Tommy looked at her "let's grab a lunch, I could call my father and ask him to hire you, you're brilliant, IT girl, and I'm sure if QC let you slip out of their fingers, then Merlyn Global would make sure you don't slip their fingers"

Diggle rushed trough Oliver's office door, almost breaking the glass "she just walked out with Tommy Merlyn"  
"with who!" Oliver looked at him surprised.  
" Tommy Merlyn, he was on his way to meet her, but he ran into her, and then they left together, well, that's all I could gather from security footage."  
"Why would Felicity leave with Tommy?" Oliver asked collapsing down in his chair, as he twirled his pen between his fingers.  
" Ollie? I'm going for lunch, do you want to join me?" sweetly asked Laurel, blinking her enormous lashes.  
Oliver looked at her, and then at Dig, and then back at her "yes sure..." he got up and followed her out. Even if he was having lunch with Laurel, his mind kept traveling elsewhere, wondering what Tommy was plotting, ever since Tommy had broken up with Laurel because of him, they weren't exactly the friends they used to be, and he knew that Tommy could be very reckless and could cause trouble, and adding it all upset Felicity, he hoped Tommy was not going to do anything stupid or dirty to repay him for his pain.  
"Ollie? Did you heard what I just said?" annoyed asked Laurel while they were sitting in one of the many fancy restaurants around the town, Oliver didn't even remembered how he had gotten there, he looked at Laurel giving her small smile.  
"Sorry, I must have zoomed out, you know, a lot of work and everything"  
"it's okay, anyway, I was asking you about the party, you know, the annual party at QC?" she asked eating.  
"Right, party, what is it about it?" he asked reaching for his glass of water.  
"Well I just asked you if you wanted it to be held at the Verdant"  
"I'll ask Thea about it, she kind of has stolen that place from me, but anyway…" Oliver froze, catching glimpse of familiar faces in the mirror behind Laurel's back. It was Malcolm Merlyn and Tommy Merlyn and Felicity Smoak. The sight of those three together, entering the place, caused him to choke on his water.  
Laurel noticed the new arrivals too, her face turned all ugly with jealous and angry expressions mixing together.  
Malcolm, Merlyn approached their table "well look at this, I can't even leave my office without running into someone I know" he joked, not really making anyone laugh, but himself. "Thank you for your IT Goddess, as my son calls her"  
Oliver looked behind him as Tommy was pulling out chair for Felicity to sit. "She still works for QC"  
"well according to Company's data, not anymore" Malcom grinned darkly down at the couple "have a nice lunch, Oliver, Ms. Lance"  
Oliver watched him walk away, and sit to join Tommy and Felicity, obviously engaging in deep conversation about something.

Later that evening Oliver rushed down the stairs in the Arrow cave, god how he hated that name, he hoped to see Felicity, but he only found, half sleeping Diggle in front of her computers.  
"Where is Felicity?"Oliver asked looking around.  
"Home?" he looked at Oliver with sleepy eyes "she said and I quote – Mr. Queen fired me, as far as I am concerned there is no more businesses left between us"  
Oliver frowned putting down the arrow he had just picked up to sharpen "what? She.. what… she went to work for Merlyn's… if anyone, I should be upset"  
Diggle laughed a little and shook his head "I sure quote Felicity a lot, but mate… you really should pull your head out of your ass, go apologize her, tell her that you want her to continue the arrow business, offer her paycheck for this, I don't know.. You're the one who knows how t charm the women"  
"very funny Diggle, but felicity is not your average girl" Oliver reminded his friend.  
"Well then you'll just have to get creative" he said and turned back to his napping.


	3. I just don't care enough

AN- to all who asks. - yes this is an Olicity story.

Oliver knew he had to fix things with Felicity, after all, she was his friend, probably too close friend for her own good.  
So there he was standing at her house door. Funny, how for a brave and strong man like Oliver, who spent his nights fighting deadly crime, he was pretty scared. He wasn't scared of Felicity. Okay, maybe a bit, but this was Felicity, we're talking about, she was probably the only person, who had told Oliver to pull his head out of his ass, and survived it.  
He reached his hand forward and lightly ran the doorbell, heading steps towards the door. He noticed Felicity peek out the window by doors, before she opened the front door with a frustrated groan.  
"Hi…" Oliver started awkwardly.  
"What do you want?" she asked crossing her arms over chest. She was wearing baggy Marvel's comics T-shirt and something similar to denim shorts, though to Oliver's opinion those should have been names denim underwear, since it didn't leave much to imagination.  
"I… can I come in?" he asked swallowing a little, considering how wrong it must have sounded to Felicity, knowing her babbling brain.  
She stood there watching him, before silently stepping to side to let him in "I don't have much time, Doctor Who is on in 20 minutes"  
Oliver nodded and walked inside, shutting the door, and looking around. He'd never been in her place before. It was like hippy cave. Colorful rugs covering the area, large antique couch, covered with quilted blanket. Some weird-looking lamps handing low. Oliver had to watch his step, so he wouldn't hit his head against them. He noticed fireplace, the menorah. Some family pictures. And pile of computer parts, cables, laptops and god knows what else.  
"Did you came here to just stand there, or doses your visit has a purpose?" she asked getting impatient.  
"Yeah, I just…" he looked around one more time, and then finally back at her "I wanted to talk to you, apologize…"  
"For what? I get it Oliver, Laurel needed the job, and you being your natural, Laurel first, then the rest of the planet, person, chose her." She said, looking at him. Felicity opened her mouth to continue speak, but Oliver cut her off.  
"Are you accepting Merlyn's offer?" he asked  
"No, I am not, I told Mr. Merlyn, that I was not ready to dive into work this soon, after all, I can finally have a vacation, a proper one, could finally do the laundry and dishes" she rambled "and visit my mom, she says she misses me, I guess now that I am jobless, I'll be able to go a lot of things I couldn't before"  
Oliver, opens his mouth to say something but then shut's it, rather, keeping his opinion to himself, after all it wouldn't be good to piss her off even more.  
"Felicity? What about the Arrow stuff? I need you" he asked, with kind of begging voice.  
"I need you too, umm that came out kind of wrong, scratch that, I didn't say that, I meant' _need you_, not _need you" _She babbled on "and what so ever you say, I am still having my well-earned vacation, from you... and this insane city and out insane nightly activities" she said giving him a firm stare.  
"Please?" he gave her his best puppy dog look.  
"Wow, is this my birthday already? Because Oliver Queen saying please must be a really big deal" she mocked him.  
"Well it's not every day, that your right hand girl ditches you for your best friend." He tried to make it sound playful, though the was in no place to pull jokes on her, he wouldn't be surprised if she'd get so angry she'd kick his light's out and he would wake up, tied up in her basement.  
"yeah, well you better get used to be one-handed robin hood, because I am not planning to return from my vacation any time soon…" Oliver cut her off again  
"But Fe-li-city…. Please?"  
" I'm sorry Oliver, I really want a break from this all, now please… be so kind and remove yourself from my premises" she said sighing a little. He could tell she wanted t come back, but her pride, probably bigger than Oliver's own, was stopping her from joining the team arrow back.  
" but who will help me, with the computers and all the other stuff?" he asked hoping to break through her stone hard walls.  
"Ask Laurel, I'm sure she's qualified enough to know how to use the internet" she said with a shrug, pushing him towards the front door.

The next day he and Diggle had agreed to meet in the foundry to take some pressure off their shoulders and practice combat techniques.  
"SO, how did the evening with Felicity went?" Dig asked throwing some punches at Oliver, who quickly blocked them.  
"if by evening you mean fine minutes that I spent in her living room then, I'd say, it went terribly bad."  
"well I told you she was not going to agree with you so easy"  
"yeah, she's taking a vacation, ditching the town" Oliver said, almost getting punched in face by Diggle.  
"did she mention where she was planning to head to?" Diggle asked attacking his friend again.  
"to see her mom, do you know where her mother lives?" Oliver asked missing another punch, this time earning it hard on his shoulder.  
"Felicity once said her mom works in Vegas, so, I'm guess she must be living somewhere close by" Digg stopped the fight watching his friend with a frown "don't tell you're thinking about…"  
"well we did agree that Felicity is not the average girl, and getting her back is out priority number one, so I guess me knocking at her door again could do no harm, even if it's her mom's house."  
"Oliver Queen, you're totally whipped by her" Digg told him with a sly grin on his face.  
"I don't understand that reference, I have skipped some time of the social media and trends" Oliver reminded his friend as he got a bottle of water.  
"Right…never mind," Dig said obviously keeping all the good laugh for himself.  
"Well you better get ready and start to pack, because we're going to Vegas my friend" Oliver told him, looking over at the Empty chair in front of the computer screens. He had to fix his mistake. He needed Felicity, more than he liked to admit.


End file.
